Three Points Can Help Facility Managers Justify Funding

Today's tip from Building Operating Management: Three points can help facility managers justify funding for facility projects.

The first point is basic: Facility managers must have confidence in their worth to the organization. "Sometimes people in facilities get too involved in the day-to-day activities to realize how critical they are to the organization," says Alan Whitson, president, Corporate Realty, Design & Management Institute. So understanding how much value facilities adds to the organization, and putting that into numbers at proposal time, is critical.

Part of knowing facilities' importance is gauging where you stand compared with other departments. When you're competing against other departments, the feeling can be at best, awkward, and at worst, contentious.

"You can feel the tension in the room when our chief engineer is pushing for money for new roofs, and another guy is asking for bell carts," says Bob Holesko, vice president of facilities for HEI Hotels and Resorts. The important thing to remember, though, is you're all on the same side, and therefore, be forceful, but not greedy. That leads to the second point: Only ask for what's reasonable. That is important for enhancing your credibility.

"If you know there's about $1 million, and you normally would get $200,000, don't go in there with $1 million in projects," says Holesko. "Have history on your side."

The third point is related to the second: In addition to having organizational history on your side, you will benefit from having personal history as a team player. "A lot of stacking the deck takes time to develop your professional reputation for being a straight shooter," says Tim Pennigar, project manager, engineering and operations, Duke University Health Systems. "You're competing with a lot of other departments for money, so if you've got a reputation for fudging the numbers to create an emergency, you're always going to get the leftovers."

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